Mountain Dew Slushies

.~*1*~.

"Well, I guess it's quite simple." Jeremy said. "I'm not much of a writer, but I'll try my best!"

"Right, now get back to work!" Mr. Lewis said as he left.

"OK..." Jeremy looked at Veronica nervously. "Where do we start?"

They were able to get the work done somehow. While Jeremy's writing lacked some of the words to get the reader's attention, it wasn't too bad. It was also a good thing he learned quite easily.

"I didn't exactly want to be a writer." Jeremy said. "The job is fine, but it's not really my passion."

Veronica quirked an eyebrow. "What was your ideal job then?"

"Something to do with computers. Programming probably." He sighed. "My friend Michael would have been great at that."

"Why did you get this job then?" Veronica asked.

"This was the only open job opportunity. I didn't exactly have a choice." Jeremy shrugged.

A notification popped up on the screen. It was a new report.

Girl Commits Suicide At The Age Of Seventeen

Seventeen.

The age Heather Chandler died.

The age her teen angst bullshit had a body count.

The age in which she ended up making the biggest mistakes of her life.

"Veronica?" Jeremy waved a hand in front of her face. "You've been staring at the screen for about 5 minutes."

"Oh." Veronica blushed, embarrassed. "I must have zoned out back there."

She resumed her work immediately, pushing all thoughts of her senior year to the back of her mind.

Later that night, she and Betty discussed their day over dinner, which Betty cooked.

Spaghetti, with lots of oregano. Just the way she liked it.

"So," Betty took a bite of her pasta. "You got a new partner to work with, huh?"

"Nearly all of us did." Veronica said. "It did help quite a lot with the workload."

"You got pretty lucky though, your coworker is pretty cute. Why don't you ask him out?"

"Betty, I only knew the guy for a day." Veronica rolled her eyes. "Besides, I already told you, I'm going to focus on other things first before my dating life."

"That's what you said last year, and the year before that." Betty sighed. "Look Veronica, I know everything that happened in senior year shook you pretty bad. Heck, I have no idea what you're possibly feeling, I wasn't even there! But as your friend, I'm trying to help you. You've... Changed. You're less open to friends and family than before." She was concerned. "Your mom even sent me an email about how you weren't answering any of her messages."

Veronica gave her a sad look. "I know. Betty, I'm trying to be more open and social and shit, I really am. I just need some more time."

Betty stood up and gave her a hug. "Okay. I'm gonna go hit the hay now. We have to be up early again tomorrow."

"Sure. Goodnight Betty."

As Betty went to her room, Veronica stayed behind to wash dishes. As she did, she let her thoughts drift back to her senior year.

"You know what I want babe? Cool guys like you out of my life."

"His solution is a lie! No one here deserves to die! Except for me and the monster I created!"

You aren't responsible for his actions. Remember that.

And Veronica did remember. She wasn't responsible for poisoning Heather Chandler, wasn't responsible for killing Kurt and Ram.

Wasn't responsible for his death. His suicide.

"God Veronica, is that what you tell yourself each night to help you sleep?"

Veronica jumped and almost dropped the dishes she was holding.

"You're not real." Veronica said. "I haven't had a conversation with you in 5 years."

"That doesn't make me any less real." The ghost of Heather Chandler materialized out of nowhere. "I knew you were delusional, but for you to think that you had no part in everything that had happened sometimes makes me think you drank the Draino."

"He was the one who poured it there. I didn't-"

"You didn't bother to check." Chandler cut in.

"It wasn't my fault!"

"And yet you didn't stop him when I fell down dead! You could have checked the cup. You could have called the cops, but no. Instead, you let him go and assisted him with 3 more deaths, including his very own suicide."

"Shut up Heather!" Veronica shouted. "I don't need you to tell me things I already know! Your opinion doesn't matter because you're dead! You're nothing more than a figment of my stupid imagination!"

"Veronica? Is everything alright?" Betty came out of her room.

Veronica glanced over at where Heather Chandler was standing. There was nothing more than an empty space. "It's nothing Betty, I'm just tired."

Betty frowned. "You can tell me anything, remember that."

"I know. Its just the stress of this week getting to me. I'm fine, really."

"If you say so." She went back to her room.

Veronica showered and curled up in her bed. She thought about the conversation she had with Heather Chandler.

She's been dead for 5 years now. It's just your imagination running wild because of that one article.

With that, Veronica quickly fell asleep.